tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53987617756271255622018-02-19T07:34:47.388-06:00Stump The TeacherJosh Stumpenhorstnoreply@blogger.comBlogger322125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-57452053056571578432018-02-11T14:52:00.000-06:002018-02-11T15:32:42.781-06:00Lessons from the Library Makerspace<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace; font-size: small;">As I continue to evolve in my role as a Junior High Librarian and Learning Commons Director, I want to constantly reflect on my practice. One thing I get a lot of feedback on is the work we are doing in our Maker Lab. In some cases, I have received criticism about some of the work we are doing and some of the activities we have done. For example, I have been asked why a library needs Makey Makey kits or a 3D printer. To be clear, it doesn’t. I also get questioned how a CNC desktop router or robots help support the core curriculum. To be honest, often, they do not. On top of it all, I get questioned how a library can be a center of reading and support literacy growth while having the distractions of all the so-called toys and gadgets. Every single one of those questions and criticisms are fair and in some cases accurate.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></span></span></div><div class="p2"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Do we need 3D printers?</b></span></span></div><div class="p2"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace; font-size: small;">We can easily replace 3D printers with drones, robots, Legos, Makey Makey, or a host of things we often see in library Makerspaces. The simple answer to the question is, no, you do not need any of these things in your library. On top of that, the presence of these tools won’t guarantee an innovative space or creativity among students.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></span></span></div><div class="p2"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace; font-size: small;"><span class="s1"></span><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><style type="text/css"> p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 13.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} </style> </div><div class="p1"><span class="s1"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace; font-size: small;">However, they certainly can bring about a type of learning and thinking far too often missing from our overly standardized classrooms. I have seen students use the Makey Makey to create controllers to play video games. While this may not seem like a big deal, it has lit a spark of creativity in two particular students who now spend their lunch in the library every single day to tinker and see what else they can create.<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ue_z9K3q2BE/WoCmQhdwTzI/AAAAAAAAaIA/sQBKWj_4DoENKr5Jy41gclKBsYlLfy2xQCKgBGAs/s1600/20180206_123041.mp4" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace;"></span></a><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyEKvJbnSW9oZElrZJZX3qMrxXCYXpSxdRE7-uZ1G2qP27Vq8_8anAZnHELT4SdT5Ag_RyI3Lurig2hD-pdAA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AUwO7YB3lLQ/WoCmwNEnTWI/AAAAAAAAaIM/kMYT0ZdygZouen6YNVTbOiQO9gS3cCuJACKgBGAs/s1600/20171113_113039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace;"><br /></span></a><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The 3D printer, coupled with Tinkercad, has opened up a whole new world of design and creation for </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">our stud</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">ents. Students are </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">able to create something in the Tinkercad space and then see their design in a tangible product. The process students go through to create something in a 3 dimension format is a level of thinking most kids have little or no experience in. For </span>most<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> it is a struggle and takes constant revision</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> and reworking. One of my </span>7th grade<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> students had to redo a particular design numerous times before finally getting it right. The fact that students are willing to fail at something and keep going until they get it “right” is empowering for me to watch. </span></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qnGSltO9U-I/WoCl9d2qIPI/AAAAAAAAaH8/-y2s2qqTwvkl2vT4WvtaWXvVZM6NjB5NwCKgBGAs/s1600/20180131_070656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qnGSltO9U-I/WoCl9d2qIPI/AAAAAAAAaH8/-y2s2qqTwvkl2vT4WvtaWXvVZM6NjB5NwCKgBGAs/s320/20180131_070656.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace; font-size: large;">Do Makerspaces support the core curriculum? </span></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The mostwell-stockedd library or Makerspace will not always support the core curriculum. For me</span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> there are two ways of looking at that. For one, I am completely fine with learning that is outside the core curriculum. In fact, some of the most engaged learning activities I have seen in my career have been outside the curriculum. Students designing “Battle Armor” for their Spheros is certainly not on a curriculum map but I can promise a high level of learning was happening. Students were creating prototypes, testing, retooling and constantly improving their designs. In addition, the social and emotional learning that takes place in this type of competitive environment is crucial to a student’s development. Many kids who are not athletes or musicians rarely have a competitive outlet and things like this help teach those skills. I had to work with numerous kids on how to win and lose in a socially appropriate manner. </span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AUwO7YB3lLQ/WoCmwNEnTWI/AAAAAAAAaIM/kMYT0ZdygZouen6YNVTbOiQO9gS3cCuJACKgBGAs/s1600/20171113_113039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AUwO7YB3lLQ/WoCmwNEnTWI/AAAAAAAAaIM/kMYT0ZdygZouen6YNVTbOiQO9gS3cCuJACKgBGAs/s320/20171113_113039.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace;"><br /></span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace;">The other way of looking at these activities is finding ways in which they can support the core curriculum in a meaningful and engaging way. For example, we use our Sphero robots for math students to write programs. They can then run the programs and use the sensor data to create linear equations which ties directly to their content. Another resource in our library is the Google Expeditions Virtual Reality kit that allows our students to “see” locations and content in a whole new light. Talking to health students about the respiratory system is one thing, but taking them inside the lungs themselves is a whole other level of learning. </span></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SZ6sBYCJ0gw/WoCmwMXTtLI/AAAAAAAAaIM/vHea4G3FZvkCfzzgxu7MG7yAgI6idjJ9QCKgBGAs/s1600/20171106_141408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SZ6sBYCJ0gw/WoCmwMXTtLI/AAAAAAAAaIM/vHea4G3FZvkCfzzgxu7MG7yAgI6idjJ9QCKgBGAs/s320/20171106_141408.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></span><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace; font-size: large;">How can you focus on reading and literature in a library full of toys and gadgets? </span></span></div><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace;"><br /></span> <span id="docs-internal-guid-1f689e03-8699-fd7b-29e3-ef5bc0c9ce84"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: &quot;courier new&quot; , &quot;courier&quot; , monospace;">I get this question often. People assume with all of the Makerspace activities going on, I can’t possibly have a focus on literature or reading. That could not be further from the truth. In the past two years as we have made a push to increase Maker activities the overall circulation in the library has gone up. Kids are actually in the library checking out books more than ever before. The answer is really simple. Kids want to be in the library. The Makerspace activities has helped me create an environment so appealing to kids it is now being used as a reward on student behavior charts. :) Simply bringing kids into the library has allowed me to engage them in conversations about everything, including reading. Just as a teacher who builds a positive relationship with a kid can get them to do their work, a librarian who builds those positive relationships can get a kid to read anything. &nbsp;</span></span></span></div>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-61383834875607051902017-06-28T11:57:00.001-05:002017-06-28T12:01:09.243-05:00Stop Teaching Kids to Read<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For 13 years I taught Language Arts to junior high students. I had a list of reading standards that I needed to teach on a yearly basis. I had to make sure kids knew the theme, perspective, conflict, author’s purpose, create beautiful plots lines, and many other standards. During that time we read lots of short stories, novels, articles, and a wide variety of other reading materials. Nearly every time kids were reading, they were doing something with the text. They had to annotate, fill in an organizer, do notes and many other things. However, after this last year teaching in the library, I am beginning to wonder if teaching reading is something we really should be doing. Or at the very least, we need to look at it differently.</span></div><b id="docs-internal-guid-3eba1a19-ef87-7236-35ac-8b2261acd3bd" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let me be clear that yes, we need to teach kids how to read. They need to know the vocabulary and be able to comprehend what they are reading. Reading is a foundational skill that all kids, and adults for that matter, need to master. However, at some point much of the reading standards we ask kids to learn don’t serve any purpose beyond filling in a bubble or checking off a list of standards. I wonder if there might be another way to go about it. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This past year as I spent my time working with students in the library I had a much different perspective on reading. I talked to kids every single day about what they were reading. Frankly, I talked more about reading this past year as the librarian than any other year as a Language Arts teacher. When talking to kids, I wasn’t asking them to interpret the text or seeking out right answers about what they were reading. Instead, we just talked about the books. Period. We talked about what made them laugh, cry or think about their world. Those conversations were not only enjoyable to me but it appeared as though lots of kids were just excited to talk about what they were reading. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With that in mind, I wonder if we can shift how we approach reading in our classes. I fear we have become obsessed with over teaching and seeking “right” answers, we are missing the bigger picture which is creating kids who love reading. I firmly believe literature can be used as a gateway into learning far beyond the learning standards teachers are asked to teach. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1415206347l/22875069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1415206347l/22875069.jpg" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="200" width="132" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reading can create empathy within our students when they are exposed to ways of life different than their own. Check out <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Will-Always-Write-Back-Changed/dp/0316241334" target="_blank">I Will Always Write Back</a> for a fantastic example of looking at life through another lens. I had a great conversation with my own children about homelessness after we read <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Crenshaw-Katherine-Applegate/dp/1250043239" target="_blank">Crenshaw</a> together as a family. Empathy is so critical in our world and many books help kids put on someone else's shoes. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A great book can help students connect with characters who may be struggling with the same personal challenges the reader is. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gracefully-Grayson-Ami-Polonsky/dp/1484723651" target="_blank">Gracefully Grayson</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/El-Deafo-Cece-Bell/dp/1419712179" target="_blank">El Deafo</a> are two solid examples of characters dealing with their identities and the discomforts they encounter. Kids often don’t know how to talk to people about their struggles and a character in a book can often give insights and guide them through troublesome times. Or at the very least give them hope they are not alone.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476284759l/32075671.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.gr-assets.com/books/1476284759l/32075671.jpg" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" width="131" /></a></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />As we see evidence of a lack of perspective and understanding of others in this often unjust world, literature can be a way to start difficult conversations we need to be having. For me, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hate-U-Give-Angie-Thomas/dp/0062498533" target="_blank">The Hate U Give</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Full-Cicada-Moon-Marilyn-Hilton/dp/0525428755" target="_blank">Full Cicada Moon</a> are solid stories to help start a critical conversation. It is too easy to brush these conversations off because as adults we are uncomfortable but literature can be the jumpstart we need. </span></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think it’s time to lay down the rubrics or reader’s workshop checklists and just talk to kids about the books they love and even those they hate. If we approach teaching reading with the mindset there are right answers, we are doing it wrong. The beauty of reading is there are no right or wrong answers. There are just perspectives and every reader has one of their own. There are lots of kids that love reading until we teach the love out of them. It’s time to shift to helping kids use reading as an avenue to learning about themselves and the world around them. </span></div>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-40834876531433853272017-03-12T08:56:00.002-05:002017-03-12T09:00:39.296-05:00What Effective Admin Do<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Administrators are the leaders in schools and in some buildings have been rebranded as lead learners, program directors, chief storytellers or some other trendy term. Now, some of these leaders are leading in title only but not through their actions. They wield their authority in a dictatorial manner which does little to help the teachers or students. However, some truly are leaders through the way in which they perform the duties of their job, regardless of their title. Interestingly, I have started to notice administrators who are effective and good at their job just simply act like good teachers. </span></div><b id="docs-internal-guid-b5ebd5d9-c2c9-938e-cd21-15befb2f43da" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Good teachers know the importance of building a classroom culture. In fact, they know this is the most important aspect of their job. They work to make sure every child feels valued and an important part of their classroom. An effective administrator does the same thing. When an administrator creates a positive culture, people want to work for them. Teachers are willing to go through some of the tough work because they know their administrator cares about them and has their back. Culture trumps all in the classroom as well as the building. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Good teachers don’t punish a class for the actions of one child. They know the ineffectiveness of this method and deal with problems on a case by case basis. This too is seen with effective administrators. If one teacher or a small group of teachers are not following a school mandate or expectation, an effective administrator works with them personally. They know an all staff email is as pointless as a teacher yelling at the whole class for the actions of one student. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Good teachers know that not every student learns in the same way or on the same time frame. These teachers differentiate and provide individual instruction as well as support where and when needed. They have an intimate knowledge of their student’s strengths and weaknesses.This too is a hallmark of good administrators. They do not subscribe to the one size fits all or sit and get model of professional development. In fact, it is hypocritical for an administrator to expect their teachers to differentiate for students when they won’t for their own staff. Good administrators create professional development opportunities geared toward to individual needs of their teachers built upon individual need, interest, and choice. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The administrator often dictates the learning, culture and overall success of a building. This one person can have more impact in a building than any other single person. Personally, I have seen both sides of this as I have worked for administrators that have torn the staff down and those who built us up and empowered us in our work. In the case of those great administrators, the simple truth is they modeled their work after good teachers. :) </span></div><br />Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-78308718979065100472017-03-03T11:37:00.001-06:002017-03-04T08:29:00.999-06:00Increasing Test Scores<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Anyone who works in education knows the institution's obsession with data. What I mean is school districts are always worried about their data. Are the test scores high enough? Are the students making adequate growth? How many kids do we have in the exceeds category or in the needs improvement category? What do these numbers mean for our teachers and their evaluations? Bottom line schools are obsessed with data and that data is often how we determine “success”. As I have said many times before, I think we look at the wrong data. However, the reality is math and reading scores are often used to paint a picture of the success or failure of a school or of an individual teacher. Whenever you see a teacher or a school with high marks on these scores, people want to know what they're doing. Conversely, if there are low scores people want to know why that is happening is well. </span></div><b id="docs-internal-guid-058d8103-953d-9688-dc14-86ab2eab9348" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have spent many years looking at this data both in my own school and many others I work with. Based on these experiences, I have a handful of things I often hear. Some people will say making kids aware of their data and tracking progress helps increase their scores. The argument is kids are buying into the idea of their own progress and can see it on their charts and their goal sheets. I think there may be some truth to this and this practice may help students on these tests. Another thing I hear often enough is the shameful activity of bribery. I have seen schools that have bribed kids to increase their standardized test scores. They have offered rewards from donuts and extra credit points to parties and prizes. These bribes are tied to their progress or a point value. In some cases the results do work but something about this practice has never set right with me. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The one thing I don't think we talked about enough is the emotional well-being of the child and that's impact on this “sacred” data. As I have looked at teachers who regularly produce solid test scores, there is a common denominator. Yes, they are good teachers but more importantly, they are great people. They are the teachers who kids want to be in their room. They are the teachers who care and love every single child in their classroom. Even if they don’t love them, the kids don’t know it. :) They care more about the social emotional well-being than the data point on a nationally normed test.</span></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It should be no secret that if you like your teacher and enjoy the environment in class, you are likely going to absorb and learn more of the content. So, while bribery and goal-setting may help test scores, I firmly believe if we focused on the way we treat kids it would have a far greater impact. In addition, we would be increasing the overall social and emotional well-being of the child. If we ensure that all teachers are treating kids with dignity, respect and genuinely caring for their well-being, the test scores will take care of themselves. Even if the test scores don’t, then we may just have created better people which this world can certainly use more of. </span></div>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-32847724182099995072017-02-10T14:59:00.002-06:002017-02-10T15:00:44.352-06:00Reflections From The Library<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">As I am in the home stretch of my first year as a junior high librarian, I thought it a good time to reflect a bit. One of my focus areas this year has been literacy growth. Part of that is have an environment and culture within the library space that is welcoming and engaging for students. Simply put, I want kids to be excited about coming to the library and more so about reading books. As a result of this reflection, I wanted to highlight some of the things I have done this year in an effort to help both of these areas.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Book Talks</b></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have a belief that one of the most powerful things we can do as educators is to share with kids what we are reading and what we love about reading. Kids look up to us and will connect with us in a literary sense. If we tell them we read a book and we loved it, they will be more inclined to pick it up. I book talk 50-60 books in any given week and most of them are checked out and read by students. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Trailers</b></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If I don’t have time to go into a classroom and talk to students, I will create a book trailer for students to watch. This is a great alternative for students to watch if they can’t come to the library. In addition, it is a great resource for teachers to post in their LMS or online resources for students to access whenever they have the time to. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0QxSevA6h_w/WJ4pgoh9ptI/AAAAAAAAWmg/wApDW-qeyOAmikhUjLlm_lgIJCX72c94wCKgB/s1600/20170201_090332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0QxSevA6h_w/WJ4pgoh9ptI/AAAAAAAAWmg/wApDW-qeyOAmikhUjLlm_lgIJCX72c94wCKgB/s200/20170201_090332.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Expeditions</b></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have been extremely fortunate that in my district we were able to acquire a set of Google Expeditions. While this is a new asset in our library, it is bringing the kids and teachers in for sure. Just this week I was taking health classes on a tour of the respiratory system. It was a learning experience that would not have been possible without this technology. This is just another fantastic resource our library has to offer that can enrich the learning experience of all students.</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Breakouts</b></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many teachers and schools are aware of the phenomenon that is BreakoutEdu. We have a handful of these kits in our library and they have been received with high levels of enthusiasm. If you have not engaged students and staff with this game, you will be blown away at the engagement and interest levels. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Genre - fication</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-grEdYsVxgZ0/WJ4pbMFd1dI/AAAAAAAAWmc/FbUv6yxf6es9J9x88YII8TvpnTVlfJ8PACKgB/s1600/20170203_065542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-grEdYsVxgZ0/WJ4pbMFd1dI/AAAAAAAAWmc/FbUv6yxf6es9J9x88YII8TvpnTVlfJ8PACKgB/s200/20170203_065542.jpg" width="200" /></a></b></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Probably the biggest shift I made in the library, and still in the process of doing, is reorganizing our collection by genre. It has been my experience that students come to the library and ask me to help find them a good book. Often they know what genre of book they like but struggle to navigate the collection to find that. Most kids know what kind of story they like but often fail to find them in the mess that is a fiction collection organized by author’s last name. By creating genre sections in the library, kids are easily able to locate books in their wheelhouse and also easier to steer them to try something new. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Teacher Displays</b></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I believe kids often have special connections with their teachers. For some kids their teacher is viewed as a role model and in some cases an inspiration to them. As a result I have gone back to the 1990’s and created “Staff Picks” section in the library. This rotates periodically and is a place where staff can put together a list of their favorites. Kids love this one!</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Weeding</b></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another big change in our library was the weeding process which is ongoing. I won’t go into specific numbers but let’s just say we made a number of healthy donations to some schools in need. My philosophy was that if it was not be circulated or used in a curriculum, we removed it. We had many titles not touched in 10+ years. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Content Area book talks</b></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a former content area teacher, I was blind to the books in the library that would have supplemented my teaching. I have started pulling books both from the fiction and non-fiction collection to share with classes. For example, when our 6th grade history classes were studying Ancient Greece, I pull graphic novels, fiction texts, picture books and non-fiction titles from that topic area. It was a great way for kids to connect their classroom learning to great literature. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Focus Groups</b></span></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Without a doubt, the best thing I have been doing in the library is holding what we have begun to call “focus groups”. These are almost always made up of a small group of students. I call these groups together randomly and just get their feedback on new things in the library or ask them what more they want to see happen. As I continue to evolve our library into the optimal resource for all students and staff, these focus groups will be an integral part of that change. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hope to continue in my reflecting on my role in the library as I continue to learn and evolve the space to best suit the needs of my students. If you are a librarian or work with a dynamic one, please share their story in the comments or connect me to them. I am always willing to learn and grow!</span></div><div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-65201617814959862572017-01-20T20:51:00.002-06:002017-01-20T21:52:11.663-06:00Presidential Reading List<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As our new president takes the oath of office and assumes the role of Commander in Chief and leader of the free world, I felt as though I would take some time to offer him some advice. It is well known our former president, Barack Obama, was an avid reader and a lover of knowledge and learning. I thought I might do my part as a citizen, lover of literature, and public school educator to share a handful of titles I feel might benefit our newly elected president. Naturally, there are hundreds of high-quality books on everyone’s must read lists, but these are a few that I think would really help set the foundation for a great presidency. </span></div><b id="docs-internal-guid-5f2d9dd4-beec-633e-9278-362f61cc0af6" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Were-Writing-Constitution-Jean-Fritz/dp/0698116240/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484967033&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=Shh%21+We%E2%80%99re+Writing+the+Constitution" target="_blank"><br /></a></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Were-Writing-Constitution-Jean-Fritz/dp/0698116240/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484967033&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=Shh%21+We%E2%80%99re+Writing+the+Constitution" target="_blank">Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - I feel as though this is a great starting point for anyone trying to grapple with the basic concepts within the US constitution. Certainly, this is just a starting point, but a great resource for those trying to understand what the founding fathers intended over 200 years ago. There is a reason our country is the envy of those around the world and the very foundation is in this document authored so many years ago. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gracefully-Grayson-Ami-Polonsky/dp/1484723651/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484967015&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=gracefully+grayson" target="_blank">Gracefully Grayson</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - As a public school educator who has worked with students struggling with their identity, this novel hit home for me. A powerful narrative about a young man who is trying to figure out who he is in the world. Not only is our character struggling with his identity, he is fighting for social and self-acceptance in an environment not conducive to either. For anyone, president or otherwise, trying to understand the very real and raw story of someone working through gender identity, this is a must read for sure. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/March-Trilogy-Slipcase-John-Lewis/dp/1603093958/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484966995&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=march+book+1-3" target="_blank">March Book 1-3</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Written by John Lewis, these are a fantastic graphic novel chronicling Lewis’ life and struggles during the civil right’s movement. It is powerful narrative and important read for a number of reasons. For one, it highlights the importance of American heroes such as Lewis but also the value in protest and standing up for what is right. Another reason these books have value is due to their artistic quality. Elements such as graphics, art, and literature, should be valued and held in high esteem. They are not something to be politicized and cast away for the sake of a budget item. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Best-Man-Richard-Peck/dp/0803738390/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484966970&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=the+best+man+richard+peck" target="_blank">Best Man</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - Richard Peck is a master storyteller and doesn’t let us down in his latest novel. Peck tells the story of a young man coming of age and realizing some truths about his uncle and his teacher. Without spoiling it for those who have not read it, this story is an important narrative on marriage equality and how we can never control who we love. Again, love is not something that should be politicized or marginalized by individuals and certainly not by a government. &nbsp;</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/All-American-Boys-Jason-Reynolds/dp/1481463330" target="_blank">All American Boys</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - This story will rock you to your very core with its graphic content and blunt honesty. Reynolds tackles the issues of racial tension that echoes the stories of so many around our country. Without antagonizing law enforcement or the African American community, Reynolds paints an honest picture of the tenuous relationship between those two groups. He also paints a picture of hope and possibility rather than one of anger and fear with a brutally honest narrative. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Miriam-Halahmy/dp/0823436942/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484967071&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=hidden+refugee+book" target="_blank">Hidden</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - One of the best books I have read this year, Hidden, is the story of brave young people putting their lives on the line to hide and protect a refugee. After finding a man on the beach, the main characters sacrifice their own well being to protect and aid him. Navigating the social web of racism, bigotry, and fear, they go out of their way to help the man and demonstrate the true power of the human spirit. The main characters prove that protecting human life should always trump politics or social bigotry. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, I am not naive enough to think our president will take this short reading list and do anything with it. However, I still put it out there for anyone looking to understand the complex world we live in. The only way we continue to make America great is to understand its people for all their faults and awesomeness. The people of this world are amazing and these stories illustrate that very fact. Rather than focus on the ills and fears in our world, I turn to literature such as those mentioned to shine the light on all that can be and is good within the human race. I urge our president to read these books and understand all of the great people he now represents. </span></div><br />Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-43683940029429889182016-11-22T19:01:00.003-06:002016-11-22T19:01:52.584-06:00Student Driven Change<div class="p1"><span class="s1">I love trying new things or changing up the way I do things at school. Whether I look back at my years in the classroom or in my new role in the library, I am always on the move and trying different and new things. My goal is to always make the experience for the students better than it was before. That is not to say what I was doing or what was being done was bad or somehow not good enough. It is just that I believe in constant Improvement for the sake of the students and their overall experience.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">I often get asked where I get my ideas or what drives this change. For starters, it's just a personal thing for me. I have always been a restless individual, constantly on the move and constantly changing things. I don't change things just for the sake of change but for the sake of improvement and continual growth. Beyond my own personal interest in change, the biggest driving force behind it is the students themselves. My ideas are most often driven by the students I work with. If you want to know how to improve your teaching or the environment in which you teach, ask your students. This may seem like such a simple concept and yet it is incredibly impactful. I have said it before but I truly believe students are often the most untapped resource in our schools. They truly can be the change agents and voices of positive change we need.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">When I was in the classroom I would sit students down and ask them for their feedback on a project or an activity. If it wasn't working for them I would want to know why. Conversely, if it was working I would want to know that as well. In my new role in the library, I have had what I've begun to call “focus groups” and sought feedback from students. I sit down with a group of students and ask them what they enjoy about the library space and what they don't enjoy. I have sought input on how I can make reading more engaging to them and highlight books they want to read. Taking that feedback I have begun to transform the library from where it was at the beginning of the year. Not only has our physical space changed but resources such as robotics, coding, tech support and many more are now a part of our learning space. I know our space, programs, and overall environment will continually evolve as I progress and gain even more feedback from students.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">The key here though is not just simply getting feedback. What matters what actions come about as a result of that information. If students are providing me with feedback that I choose to ignore then I am making a decision do not want to grow. If the feedback they give can enhance the learning environment for themselves and others then I would be negligent in my job to not listen and take action.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Yes, it is possible and likely students will give feedback which is inappropriate or wrong. That too is important because it is an opportunity for me to explain to students why certain things are the way they are or potentially why certain things can not change. Good and bad feedback from students is invaluable. If you are truly interested in making your classroom, your school or your space better for kids and for learning then look no further than the students in front of you.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><style type="text/css"> p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 11.0px Helvetica; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000; min-height: 13.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} </style> <br /><div class="p1"><span class="s1">I am always curious to learn about other ways in which educators are gaining feedback from students. How have you used students as a resource in your buildings? What positive changes have been driven by your students?&nbsp;</span></div>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-57012829050789761682016-10-12T21:14:00.002-05:002016-10-12T21:14:24.260-05:00State of the Library #TLchat<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As someone with nearly three months of experience as a junior high librarian, I felt as though it was time for me to share my vast knowledge and wisdom in this new role. :) In all honesty and seriousness, I am still figuring it all out but wanted to reflect on my first few months and some things that I believe to be true as a bit of a State of the Library as I see it right now. Hopefully, I will look back on this in the spring and have evolved and changed to something even better. </span></div><b id="docs-internal-guid-b4ca76be-bbc7-3690-0063-60d4a9b0d907" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have tackled my new role with a few core beliefs in mind and have taken action steps to support these ideas and make them a reality. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s our library, not my library</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wP0x7GYh0lY/V_7tv8qoZ7I/AAAAAAAAUNA/YwqJU9D1uXQruKj-70ciO2_e6EejwCXDwCLcB/s1600/learning%2Bcommons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wP0x7GYh0lY/V_7tv8qoZ7I/AAAAAAAAUNA/YwqJU9D1uXQruKj-70ciO2_e6EejwCXDwCLcB/s320/learning%2Bcommons.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First, one of the most important things I wanted </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">to tackle in this new role was to bring back the notion that the library is the place kids and teachers want to be and take ownership of. In order to make this happen, I have taken a few small steps that have shown positive impacts thus far and I hope to continue to develop. One action I have taken is bringing in student art and work to the library to showcase and share. This has created some ownership in the space as well as a great platform to share great student learning. I have started playing music in the library while kids are working or reading and even have kids requesting music now. Kids are in the library during their study halls, lunch periods (with food!) and even spill out during class time. No kid or teacher </span>is turned<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> away and it is not unusual to see three or four classes fighting for space within the library. Personally, I love seeing kids in one area looking for books, another set of students working in groups and a team of teachers collaborating all at the same time and in the same space. My goal is for the library to the heart of learning in the school and I feel as though we are on the right track. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No more shushing</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have gotten rid of many of the traditional rules of a library. Learning is often loud and messy, and our library reflects that. Kids are talking, arguing, debating, discussing and engaging in collaborative learning throughout the library at all times of the day. The library was open the first day of school and will be through the final day. Even on days when I am out in a meeting, the library stays open and the learning continues. In addition, we allow food and drinks for kids who choose to come into the library to have a working lunch. We have also removed all restrictions on when kids can be in the library before and after school and are truly open whenever a kid needs us or the space. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reading is cool</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As most teachers do, I have professional goals that I have to set each year. This year one of my goals is to increase overall reading motivation and excitement for literacy in the building. I want to make reading cool again. A few small things I have done is create a request line for kids to share with me what they are reading to be used for purchasing books for the library. Rather than arbitrarily grabbing books off the shelf in the bookstore, I am tailoring the collection to what kids are reading and requesting. I am also dropping into classrooms daily just to talk about books I am reading and get them fired up about it. This is not just happening in English courses but also History and Science classes where I am working to get kids interested in literature tied to course work with high levels of interest. I am not a believer in incentive programs or sticker charts to get kids fired up about reading but am taking the approach of showing them that I am a reader and love it and try to share it with them as often as humanly possible. I am also utilizing our video production lab to create book talks with myself, students and other teachers to show off great books. Not only does it serve the purpose of sharing great reads but also for students to see their classmates and teachers sharing their love of reading. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Being a squirrel is cool</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of my coworkers has been calling me a squirrel lately. She calls me this because she claims I am easily distracted and often have 100 things going on at once. I will be in the middle of processing new materials and then a kid will come in and want to do a project in the video lab. As I finish that a teacher will come in and want some tech help in their room and on the way I will be stopped by a kid wanting a book recommendation. Boredom is not in my work vocabulary and I feel as though my lifelong struggles with ADD are finally paying off as my mind is in a constant state of flow and rapid activity. While this may seem to have little to do with the library, it actually does. I have been able to help more teachers and teach more students in my new role than I ever did as a classroom teacher. As a “squirrel”, I am able to jump around and be a part of so many projects and great work on a daily basis. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Space matters</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A big change I have made in our library this year is the physical space or at least as much as I have physically been able to. For starters, I have isolated a reading lounge in a separate room of our library so kids have a quiet space to read or study. This also serves the purpose of having a large portion of general space which can be “loud” and buzzing with activity. I have also reorganized sections of our books in an effort to increase efficiency of students finding books they want. This is an ongoing process as my team is looking into organizing our collection like a book store around genres in an effort to further assist students in finding what they want/need. We have also moved furniture to increase ease of movement for students while in the library or passing through. I really wish I would have taken some before and after folks but try to imagine that it looks cool. :)</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The impact these small changes have had on our library has already been evidenced to me. Numerous parents at conferences last week shared with me how their child is talking about the library and how much they enjoy being in that space for the first time since elementary school. Teachers are constantly reaching out and holding their classes in the library or seeking out ways to engage with learning in the space. They are seeing me and the library itself as a resource to help them achieve their teaching and learning goals. However, the best feedback has been from the students themselves. When an 8th grader who has hated reading and never wanted to be in the library, comes up and thanks me for helping them see that reading was cool and the library is “sick”, I chalk that up to a win. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am only a few months in and my journey is just beginning but I finally feel like I am settling in and can really push the envelope. I look forward to continuing to evolve and grow in a way that serves the community of learners in our school. </span></div><br />Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-60807982432708572832016-09-22T19:02:00.003-05:002016-09-22T19:02:57.397-05:00The Unexamined Life #edchat<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Socrates has been credited with uttering the phrase, “the unexamined life is not worth living.” This is an expression I have discussed many times with my good friend and fellow educator <a href="https://twitter.com/ChadPhiloSurfer" target="_blank">Chad Miller</a>. In our many conversations we come back to the understanding that in life, reflection is crucial to growth and evolution of one’s being. As the new school year is fully upon us, with me in a new role, I think it has a lot of implications in my personal and professional life. </span></div><b id="docs-internal-guid-f4748485-5457-fd45-ff64-044d999d1ffd" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I see many people who do not examine anything in their life. That is not a criticism as much as it is an observation. One could argue in order to examine your own life one needs to be reflective. Reflection can take many forms but one is that of a critical eye. One must be willing to consume information and reflect on its contents and not lose sight of the bias, intent, source, and reliability. For example, I recently engaged with a family member on a well-known social media site. I should know better but sometimes there is nothing on TV and you feel like engaging in a heated discussion online. :) This individual was sharing content that was clearly biased and pushing an extreme political agenda that was completely false and inaccurate. While I am not going to engage in the politics of the content, the conversation was what mattered. I questioned the individual and engaged in a conversation about the source, intent, and validity of the content being shared. Admittedly, this individual eventually relented and claimed they just shared what they saw on their feed and assumed it to be true. Socrates would be rolling in his grave. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To connect this notion to the work we do in schools, I wonder how many of our educational lives are examined. I don’t mean examined by an administrator as we all know those are often more about completing documents than they are about teaching competence or true reflection. The truly examined life is one in constant reflection and struggling to find the path to improvement and self-evolution. I have always believed that if a teacher doesn’t see the need for growth in themselves, they are already a lost cause. Everyone has a space for growth and for the sake of their students, they need to improve. Everything we do in school should be examined, from the policies we enforce and the lessons we teach to the spaces we create and the people we hire. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Educators of high-quality are very reflective and teach the examined life. They are never content and always looking for ways to improve what they do and how they do it. Stagnation is the death of an examined life. Even more so, these teachers are the ones that instill this belief in their students. A reflective outlook on life is critical and maybe more so now than ever. We live in an age of information overload and content fire-hosing us all the time. It is imperative we are critical consumers and examine, reflect and analyze everything we come across. If we don't, we fall into the trap of believing everything we see and everything we hear and assume it is the truth. Worse is by not living the examined life we will fail to evolve which inherently perpetuates the status quo and antiquated thinking that prohibits growth and self-improvement. It is in this way that stereotypes are reinforced, that belief systems continue in antiquated fashions, and people never evolve or change.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Live and teach the examined life as that is our only hope of growth and evolving past the culture of ignorance, stagnation, and mediocrity which we can so often find ourselves in. </span></div><br />Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-24197121658926201872016-09-15T19:55:00.000-05:002016-09-15T19:55:00.676-05:00Rose by Any Other Name<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This month I officially started the next step in my teaching career. I have taken the position of Library Resource Center Director in the junior high which I have taught in for the past 13 years. Now some people might wonder, “What is a Library Resource Center Director and what do they do?” Basically, I am the school librarian. It really is as simple as that. </span></div><b id="docs-internal-guid-93231483-307b-913c-c1a2-d8e7cd99356b" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For some reason, schools are constantly changing the titles of individuals and programs. In some cases, I think it's to break away from old mentalities or ways of doing things. My own district is looking to rebrand the library space and create what will eventually be known as Learning Commons. I will then be known as the Learning Commons Director or some other variation. Apparently, schools don’t want librarians anymore. Or at least they no longer want a school librarian that sits at their desk and barks at kids about overdue library books or tells them to take their food and drink elsewhere. I am all about changing the role of the school librarian and creating a position that is more relevant to today’s schools and more specifically tailored to today’s student needs. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The problem I am seeing with this trend of new titles and positions is that it distracts from the work being done. What I mean by this is I think about William Shakespeare and the phrase “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”. No matter what you call a position or a title or a program, it all comes down to the work being done. I fear far too many people are obsessing over what we title things and not enough time focusing on what we're doing. We see principals being called “lead learners” and yet doing the same thing principals have always done. Yet we all feel better with these new titles and shiny hashtags. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rather than worry about what we call people or what their titles are maybe we should focus on the work being done. For me, I am a librarian. My job is to provide services and resources for students and teachers in numerous capacities. A librarian does check out books. They also manage resources that are increasing in amount and digital capacity. In addition, they teach classes and co-teach with other teachers. They provide professional development on literacy, science, math, technology or any other area in which there is a need. If you are lucky like me, you also manage a video production lab and eventually a robotics center. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My goal, among many other this year, is to not be defined by the title I am given but rather the work that I do. Many people have asked me if I went into this new position to get out of the classroom. They wonder if I'm trying to avoid the myriad of initiatives and new programs and expectations that are being piled on classroom teachers. Some think I'm just tired of working with kids and therefore I can go and hide in the library at my desk. None of these are true. I expect to be working with more kids, more regularly and on a deeper level than I ever have before. I also know that I will be providing more support and resources for staff than I ever could before as a classroom teacher. If this first month on the job is any indication, I am in for a long and busy year working with kids and teachers. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes, I realize there are stigma and stereotypes that I will need to overcome. My goal is to not do that with a new title or by trying to tell people what I'm going to do but rather just do it and let them see it in action. </span></div><br />Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-19863190583598378712016-06-06T16:00:00.000-05:002016-06-06T16:00:23.155-05:00Too Much Differentiation<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Differentiation is nothing new but certainly a topic of discussion in many school faculty, department and PLC meetings. Teachers are constantly being asked to differentiate everything in their classrooms. This ranges from lessons and activities to furniture and assessments. The goal of differentiation is to create a more personalized learning experience for each child and create optimal opportunities for rich learning experiences. On the surface this sounds like a great idea and naturally would be in the best interest of all kids. But is it really? </span></div><b id="docs-internal-guid-c871b5cf-113b-cd20-cbcc-c7317285b6e6" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a classroom teacher you will have anywhere from 20 to 35 individual students in your classroom. They will range spectrums of cognitive ability, maturity, academic skills, hygienic awareness and many other personal characteristics. Naturally, this makes the task of attempting to differentiate for them all quite daunting. In doing so, or at least doing it poorly, I worry we may be watering down the learning for all students. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Have we gotten to a point where we want things so differentiated that in turn the quality of the learning is diminished? Teachers are spending hours trying to create a variety of learning activities but is the end result better learning? Far too often differentiation is done in a manner to help those students who struggle in our classrooms. As a result, the higher performing students are far too often left unchallenged and quickly become bored. I don’t blame teachers for this because in our test obsessed school culture the focus is almost exclusively on bringing the “bottom up”. On top of that, if we are being honest, there are more resources and support to help that population of students than there is to enrich those on the other end of the spectrum. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another concern with differentiation is the manner in which our classrooms are set up. Class lists are generated based on a “born on date” that ignore the nuance and complexities of child development. As a result, our classrooms have such a range that it is impossible for one teacher to achieve a truly differentiated learning experience. There is just not enough teacher to go around. I recognize teachers have little to no control over this system, but it is a reality we must recognize. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My final concern looks at how much and what we differentiate. Teachers have become very good at providing choice, autonomy and modifying work so that all learners can access content. However, at times I wonder if in doing this we take away student’s opportunity to struggle and build skills such as resilience and perseverance. While I don’t want kids to struggle to the point of frustration, we need to make sure the end goal of differentiation is not to make learning easy for kids and provide every kid with the “easy A”. I myself have been guilty of stepping in too early when a kid struggles and not let them work through things like I know I should. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are certainly solutions out there to these and many of the other concerns with differentiation. First, some will suggest we need to create more homogeneous classrooms which will make the spectrum more narrow and therefore easier to differentiate. I would caution against this as nearly all research indicates the positive learning and social benefits of heterogenous classrooms rich with diversity. For me, the solution is, as it often is to problems in schools, we need more teachers. Give every classroom teacher more sets of hands to help differentiate and support kids. Bring in parents and community volunteers to do reading groups or projects with kids. Hire more teaching assistants and co-teachers to maximize the abilities of the classroom teacher to support all learners. </span></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Differentiation can be a game changer for kids and can provide authentic and personalized learning experiences for kids. However, if it is not supported or seen as only a way to bring the “bottom up”, it will fail and likely cause damage to the learning environment for all students. </span>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-64259944397597009142016-05-27T18:52:00.001-05:002016-05-27T18:52:13.985-05:00The Next Step<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the past 13 years I’ve taught junior high students English and History. As I walked out of the school building this week after the final day of school something was different. In the fall, I will not be returning to the classroom where I have spent countless hours trying to motivate students to learn and grow as people. Instead, I will be taking over as our school’s Learning Commons Director. Yes, I will be the school librarian. Please, insert cardigan sweater and reading glasses chain jokes now. :) As news of this broke with my students and community I was met with a variety of reactions. </span></div><b id="docs-internal-guid-72710dce-f4a1-23b0-d55e-13ca45bb185f" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Did you get demoted?” a friend who is not a teacher asked me.</span></blockquote><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Why would you do that? You are too good of a teacher to be a librarian.” a student shared with me.</span><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></blockquote><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“So, you want to sit down all day, read books and yell at kids for talking in the library?” mentioned a colleague. </span></blockquote><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These reactions and responses caused me to have mixed emotions. On one level I have a sense of guilt about leaving the classroom. I know I shouldn't, but in some way I do. Parents of my current students have reached out expressing a let down because their younger children will not have me as a teacher. Many of my current students were in shock and couldn’t understand why I didn’t want to be a teacher anymore. I tried to explain to them I will still be a teacher but with a much bigger classroom. But as 12 year olds, they didn’t quite get it. So I know I shouldn’t feel the guilt, but it is there. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On another level these reactions show me I have some work to do to change perceptions. Whether it's with my colleagues, my friends, or students, I want to change how they view the library space and what happens there. I am guilty of this perception issue as well when I was telling people about my new role. I was trying to come up with other names or terms for what I was going to be doing. I told people I was going to be a director of the learning services in my school. I told some people I was going to be a technology integrator and media specialist. I made up lots of different terms and definitions about the job that I was going to be doing. I think the reason I did that is because the term “librarian” traditionally has a stigma attached to it that I don't want. I am not going to be the old man in the library barking at kids about overdue books and spending my days at my desk making sure everyone's quiet. </span></div><br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yes, I'm going to be the school librarian next year but my role will be so much more than the keeper of books and collector of fines. My district is rebranding and shifting the role of the library and creating what will be called Learning Commons. This is an intentional shift in the how these spaces will look and operate across the district. In my new role I will be the director of this space and everything that happens within it. I will be planning and leading professional development for staff. I will be teaching students and providing learning opportunities ranging from class projects and research to breakout EDUs and a makerspace. I will also be redesigning the space to encourage and promote learning beyond the traditional mindset into a more innovative and flexible learning environment. Yes, I will also be checking out books. :) These new learning commons will be the hub of activity and learning in our buildings and I am looking forward to being at the center of it all. </span></div>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-76968120282572524372016-05-23T03:30:00.000-05:002016-05-23T03:30:01.449-05:00Failure to Change<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you read enough tweets, blog posts, education books or attend enough conferences you will likely come across many people who claim to have it all figured out. They will tell you schools are broken and the system needs to be changed. In some cases they'll go so far as to say the entire institution of public education needs to be torn down and rebuilt. Some of the less dramatic ones will speak about how teachers need to do more to initiate change in their classrooms. They will insist that innovation, creativity, risk-taking and failure are things all teachers should be doing, pushing and encouraging in their classrooms. While in many regards I agree with those sentiments and believe change is possible, I think we need to take a heavy dose of reality with these thoughts. Many of the people pushing forth these ideas about teachers needing to step up are not in schools themselves and lack the context or perspective of what it is actually like in a school. What’s worse is often these individuals will blame the teachers for their failure to change. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b id="docs-internal-guid-c39afc3c-cb2d-1486-683c-2427d3aba825" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Personally, I have been fortunate to work in an environment where I have been allowed a lot of room and space to be innovative and creative. I have been provided opportunities to push back on status quo and try new things I felt were in the best interest of the students in my classroom. Having said that, I am not naive enough to think that the situation I am in is one many teachers find themselves in. Countless teachers can not push back or challenge the status quo. Many teachers have nearly no freedom to be creative or innovative and instead are stuck following very rigid protocols, curricula or are micromanaged to death. While it may be easy to blame these teachers for their failure to change, it is not that simple. What I have found in these situations is far too often the lack of change stems from a lack of leadership. Whether it's a building principal or a district curriculum coordinator or possibly even the superintendent, a culture of conformity or stagnation is typically cultural from the top down. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The harsh reality is some environments will not allow, let alone encourage, these out-of-the-box thinkers in classrooms. While I agree with the sentiment of teachers pushing back, challenging the status quo and being revolutionary in their thinking, we need to be realistic. At the end of the day if you have an administrator who doesn't encourage or even allow this, it simply will not happen. If it does happen it will require a massive amount of work and effort on behalf of the teacher. It may also require some subversion and asking for forgiveness. I have seen some of the most dynamic creative and innovative teachers burned out and even run out of schools by overbearing and micromanaging administrators. I have even seen teachers try to leave or transfer out of a particular school only to have their efforts torpedoed by their current administration. </span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wholeheartedly believe we need change and revolution of ideas in schools. In addition, I have always believed lasting and impactful change must be initiated from the classroom level. Yet, I think we would be shortsighted if we fail to recognize the influence administration has on this culture of change. It is very easy to say teachers should push back and change the ways they are doing things in their classrooms. But the harsh reality is even those that really want to often find themselves in situations where they can not. A failure to change is far too often a reflection of the leadership in a building of district and not that of the teacher in the classroom.</span></div>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-53144683310060703102016-05-16T15:30:00.000-05:002016-05-16T15:30:01.357-05:00End of the Year<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is that time of year again. The weather is turning nicer. The days are longer. There's the smell of young children still not yet understanding the need and value of deodorant and personal hygiene in the halls. Yes, I'm referring to the end of the year in schools across the country. It is often the time that teachers try their best to keep a lid on things. For some it's survival mode as they get to the end of the year. For students, as I remember very well, it is filled with excitement about a summer full of fun and adventures. However, for some reason there are things about the end of the school year that I've never quite understood and never quite agreed with. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy having my summers off to travel and spend time with my family. Yet, I think we need to look at how we end our school years.</span></div><b id="docs-internal-guid-5eacb6d3-b75b-f144-5c57-46620f9a973b" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For starters there is nothing worse than walking down the halls of a school and seeing movies being played in every classroom. While I love a good Disney flick as much as the next teacher, there might be better ways to keep kids attention in those final days. Along those same lines, I wonder about why we hold all of the fun and cool projects and activities for the end of the year. I myself have been very guilty of this every single year I have taught. I think about all the really cool things we do with the students at the end of the year. We build catapults. We make movies. We have the annual “Dead Man’s Bracket Challenge” in my class which is always a hit. We do all these great projects and cool activities that all of the kids enjoy. Why can't we do these things all year or at least spread them out throughout the entire school year? </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another concern I have about the end of the school year is when we start closing up shop early. We have libraries and tech centers close well before the end of the school year. We have specials that shut down and turn kids away before the end of the school year. We have equipment being collected and resources turned in well before the end of the school year. We even have teachers who take down their rooms and remove content and decorations and resources well before the end of the school year. Why not have a teacher institute on the last day so that people have time to do all of those things? Would it not be best to have instruction and learning activities right up through the last day of school? While I understand logistics of many of these things, what message do we send when things “finish up” before the end of the school year?</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another thing that I've always been bothered by the countdowns that you see on bulletin boards and in classrooms. Why should we be celebrating and counting down to time off? Are schools that painful and horrible that we should be counting down until we get out? That sounds like something an inmate in prison would be doing. Why not have a countdown to the first day of school for the next year. If you're in 3rd grade why not countdown until the first day of your 4th grade year? Would that shift the focus on moving forward rather than ending? On top of that I think we fail to realize for some kids summer is not a good time. For some kids summer is when they don't have a safety net. They don't have a school to go to for safety and love or even food. For them that countdown is not at all a positive. When we do countdowns we send the message that we can't wait for the end of school year. Is that what we want? </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Like I said, I look forward to the summer’s off as much as the next teacher as it means a time of recharging, reflecting and adventures with my family. Yet, as we wind down the school year, we need to think about what we do and how we do it. More importantly we need to think about the message it sends to our students.</span></div><br />Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-66645451182656316382016-05-09T17:52:00.000-05:002016-05-09T17:52:07.172-05:00Trending Fads<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lots of people talk about trends and fads in education. There is always a discussion about which ones will stick around and stand the test of time. Most educators find themselves on one end of these discussions. On one hand you have the educators who are skeptical of any new idea or product. They are often traditionalists who think that if it is always worked then why change anything. We all know who these teachers are as they often sit in the back of staff meetings rolling their eyes and scoffing at anything new being shared. On the other side you have those that get excited when anything new comes about. They are the early adopters and easily excited by shiny and new like Tommy Boy with a new sale. :) Yes, there are those that find themselves somewhere in the middle but generally speaking most educators find themselves on one of these two extremes. This is not just a technology thing but with any new idea developed or suggested. </span></div><b id="docs-internal-guid-bcc57854-7e2f-8fc5-9afa-fb4516127af6" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Over the past several years we have seen numerous new “things” created, shared and pushed across the education landscape. We have new devices, Learning Management Systems, flipped classrooms, makerspaces, project-based learning, and many other ideas and products we could list. When any of these ideas of products come out there is always the debate over which ones are worth investing time or money in based on a projection of what will last. Teachers don’t want to waste time learning something or buying something that won’t be there next year or even next week. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think about all of these new ideas and someone recently asked me if I had an opinion on which ones would last. The discussion was about which ideas were fads and which were trends likely to change the way we do education. After thinking about this, I came to the conclusion that it doesn't matter. We obsess over which ones will last and which ones won't but at the end of the day does it really matter? If you take any one of these new ideas, devices or products and it helps kids in your class, does it matter if it's a trend or a fad? Is it possible that the flipped classroom or a Chromebook or possibly project-based learning really connects and works with your students this year but falls short next year? </span></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At the end of the day realize what your students need and provide that for them. Regardless of if the idea or device was created last week or last decade, it shouldn't matter. What should matter is the impact these practices have on our students. If something is going to help your student learn better or improve as a human being then who cares if it's a trend or a fad. There is a flawed assumption that new inherently means better. That is just not true. Maybe we need to stop obsessing over defining such things and just focus on what works for our students today while recognizing that it may very well not work for them tomorrow.</span>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-44389920496903043172016-05-03T18:03:00.002-05:002016-05-03T18:03:53.716-05:00The Questions We Ask<div class="p1"><span class="s1">The other day my son was on the phone with his aunt. It was a pretty typical conversation of how are things going and various topics of small talk. When my son told her he had played a soccer game that afternoon the first question she asked was, “did you score a goal”. I'm not sure why that question struck me as funny because it is a question that my sons have been asked for as long as they have played soccer. They have talked to grandparents, aunts, uncles and neighbors and almost every time the first question asked is, “did you score a goal” followed shortly by “did you win?” When my boys have a swim meet it is often a similar question of did you win your heat. I think many parents could fill in their own version of this conversation regardless of the sport or activity.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">I am probably guilty of the same line of questioning with my own sons as well as neighbors and nephews. Yet for some reason I couldn't shake that question from my head. More importantly I couldn't shake the implication of that always being the question that we ask. By doing this are we always putting the emphasis on winning and being the goal scorer? Does it take the emphasis away from having fun and enjoying the sport? I know my youngest son from time to time will get down on himself even if his team wins if he was not able to contribute with a scoring effort. He is also the one that will get down on himself if he doesn't win a swimming heat. I can't help but think the adults in his life, myself included, are contributing to this problem. We have put so much emphasis in our society and in our culture on winning that enjoyment and fun have taken a backseat. This is especially true in the world of youth sports.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">I think there is a direct relationship between this phenomenon and what happens in schools. If they are in athletics or musical competitions they are often asked about their performances in terms of wins or rankings. In addition to ranking and placements, we are also constantly asking kids about their grades, GPAs, class ranks or even their baggie book level. Many early elementary readers are ranked by numbers on books or lexiles. I wonder if we are again doing the same thing in schools we are doing in youth sports by putting the emphasis on such things.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><br /><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Can we change the conversations we have with our children and our students? Can we ask them if they had fun? Can we ask them if they are enjoying the activity or the learning they are engaged in? Can we ask them what they're learning instead of how their grades are? I worry often as I did when my son was having this conversation on the phone that the focus for too many children is on winning and beating somebody else.&nbsp; How can we shift our focus away from rankings and placements and towards fun, personal growth and learning? I think the simple answer may be with the questions we ask our children. If we know our questions illustrate our values to kids, we need to be intentional and purposeful in our questions.&nbsp;</span></div>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-85947759217121764572016-04-13T17:54:00.000-05:002016-04-13T17:54:14.456-05:00Love of Learning<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">More than once I have heard the phrase, “these kids are just lazy and not motivated anymore”. In fact, I have said that very phrase out loud a few times and thought it dozens more. Classrooms are often filled with children not interested in what is being taught and completely disengaged from the learning taking place. It is very easy to come to a conclusion that “kids these days” are just not interested or motivated to learn. However, that could not be further from the truth. In fact, I would argue kids are actually highly engaged and interested in learning, just not what we are teaching. </span></div><b id="docs-internal-guid-7656e2e0-11d2-4832-94b1-e6ead751fd40" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7o-arVqNZFI/Vw7N8j489GI/AAAAAAAAT8k/eCY4WCuHAywyLk1j0utcAMkK4JZWBYo5gCK4B/s1600/20160413_174504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7o-arVqNZFI/Vw7N8j489GI/AAAAAAAAT8k/eCY4WCuHAywyLk1j0utcAMkK4JZWBYo5gCK4B/s320/20160413_174504.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Recently my youngest son has started taking piano lessons. It was something he was interested in doing and we found a local high school student who gave lessons and signed him up. To say he is enjoying it would be an understatement. Every morning before he has brushed his teeth or put on pants, he is down practicing his scales and songs. The moment he gets off the bus, often before his afternoon snack, he is on the piano playing and practicing. He is in love with learning how to play the piano and we’re not even forcing him or asking him to play.</span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My older son obsesses over soccer. He watches it every possible second I will let him turn the television on. He learns about every single player on Arsenal, his current favorite team, and is watching their moves and the the way in which the teams play the game. He is learning everything and anything he can and then goes to the backyard and tries it out. Granted he has picked up some of their dramatic flair and diving abilities, the fact remains that he is learning and loving every minute of it. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I watch my sons in both of these instances and many others and know beyond a shadow of a doubt they love learning. Yet, most days when they bring home school work, they don't have that same approach or same attitude. There are occasions when they are doing a project or unit in school which gets them fired up. Those are great days because I don’t have to work so hard to convince them they “need to learn this stuff”. I wish my kids, and all students would have more days in which they come flying off the school bus excited about something they’ve learned at school that day. I'm not going to say kids need to love every single activity and topic they learn in school. But shouldn't they enjoy learning most or at least more of it? Should learning always be a task or a burden on them? </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This has me reflecting a great deal on the work I do as a history teacher. History is often one of those subjects that you either love or hate. I think it is safe to say the number of those who love it is far less than those who hate it. As a result I'm often trying to find ways to get kids excited and engaged in learning the content of the ancient world. This is a tough job as many students could care less about the impact of the Punic Wars on the development of the Roman Empire and Europe. </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are many ways in which we try to hook our students into content and get them engaged. Great teachers use choice, autonomy and fun as ways to do this. Sometimes those things are enough and other times, they fall short. However, I wonder if it is time to move past looking at how we are teaching and evaluate what we are teaching. Yes, I know we are all bound to standards at some level or another. Yet, is there space for schools to create more classes and spaces built completely around student interest and passion? Can we dial back our obsession over higher test scores in reading and math and instead invest in differentiated scheduling and class offerings for kids? </span></div><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why not take time off class periods or learning blocks and dedicate that time to an elective class built specifically for individual or small groups of students? Can we minimize the amount of district and state mandated assessments and instead create more time for kids to take part in interest based learning activities? What about having students teach classes based on things they are interested in or have a level of expertise in? There are many options and ways in which we can get kids excited about learning in school again beyond just a single day or hour. </span></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Everyday I watch my sons playing, reading, or building and I know they love learning. I believe all children have that same love of learning fueled by a natural curiosity. The problem is far too often what the schools are teaching is not in line with those interests or curiosities. While we still need to motivate students to learn content important for their future, we may need to evaluate what we are teaching or possibly our allocation of time. In doing so we could be providing more space and opportunities to spark the learning flame that is far too often extinguished in school. </span>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-40842657244947864212016-03-10T19:14:00.004-06:002016-03-10T19:14:44.353-06:00Horses to Water<div class="p1"><span class="s1">I think it is safe to assume most people have heard the phrase “you can lead the horse to water but you can't make it drink.” As teachers we do a lot of leading horses to water. In addition, we do a fair amount of herding kittens but that is a topic for another time. We do everything we can to help our students. Not so long ago, a struggling student was written off as a failure or somebody who just wasn't trying hard enough. They were viewed as lazy or in some crueler spaces labeled as just dumb. Nowadays we are able to analyze and identify learning disabilities and a whole host of root causes to student’s lack of success in school.&nbsp; We can then take these learning discrepancies and potentially negative influences on students’ learning and target interventions to help them. The depth and breadth of interventions available to teachers to help students really is amazing. In other words, we have lots of tools at our disposal to help our horses drink.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">However, the reality is some horses just won't drink. There are some students that we just can't move or help or change. Often times this is due to an ingrained belief system, culture, or way of life the student has had a lifetime of experience with. No matter how much we support kid, if there is not a supportive network in their lives outside of school there's only so much we can do. If they have a lifetime of influence telling them the “water” is poisoned there is little we will do to change that way of thinking. There are certainly exceptions to this but it is sadly too often a reality.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">This is not to say we give up on a kid because we never will. However, far too many teachers feel as though they need to be a martyr. Or better yet they are the saint that is going to save a child as if they need to be saved. We have to be willing to understand and accept we can't help them all. We will try and not give up but not all horses will drink the water.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Other horses don’t drink because the water we are serving is not the water they need. This brings up the question about the role of school in its traditional sense. Simply put, schools are not providing for all kids what they need. Naturally this can be broken down to micro details, but the reality is school is not for every kid and yet we force all kids into the same general programs.&nbsp; We all have students who we know school is not working for and we can’t try to push it on them. We have to allow them to navigate the content at their own pace and support their growth as a person which will serve them far greater in there life than some prescribed content.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><br /><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Maybe we need to ease up on trying to think we can get all horses to drink the water and possible shift our thinking. We need to stop beating ourselves up and trying to become martyrs for the sake of our students. As teachers, we will do anything and everything we can to help a kid. Yet, the reality is we have to recognize it won’t work for every single one of them. We don’t have to like that or be ok with it but we have to accept it. Instead, let us celebrate those that do buy in and engage in school and support those that don't by providing them options to the “water” in our schools.&nbsp;</span></div>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-36868553078716840472015-11-30T15:51:00.001-06:002015-11-30T15:51:39.026-06:00Grains of Salt<div class="p1">For quite a while now I have been a big advocate for teachers using social media. Specifically, I have encouraged the use of Twitter as a way to build strong professional learning networks. I know for me Twitter allowed me to make some very strong professional and personal connections. These connections have been a huge asset in my growth as an educator. Having said that, I feel as though new users and some veteran users of social media need to take things with a grain of salt. The reason I say that is you can't take anything at face value and should keep a skeptical eye out.</div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">For starters, much of what you see on social media is the "best" and is highly biased. People are tweeting and posting about their best lessons, their best classes and their best days. You don't often see the sometimes ugly, messy or painful work we do as educators. If failures or “bad” content is shared, it is done is a way to attempt to garner positive attention or gain pity. In other words, people are not often sharing the days they lose it on a kid or a situation. They're not jumping out to post a vine of the lesson that went horribly wrong. Administrators are sharing great pictures of their schools’ work but fail to mention the irate parent or disgruntled board member they often deal with. This is not to say the negativity needs to be shared but we need to be mindful of this reality. Far too often people see other people's work and feel inadequate. Many teachers feel they cannot measure up to those who are sharing and posting all of these seemingly amazing things on social media. Just remember they're sharing their absolute best from a biased point of view and those individuals likely share the same frustrations and tough times as you.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HkgQLdlsoqg/VlzCpPG9pKI/AAAAAAAATx8/mJjRcujnYqg/s1600/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-11-30%2Bat%2B3.41.20%2BPM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HkgQLdlsoqg/VlzCpPG9pKI/AAAAAAAATx8/mJjRcujnYqg/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2015-11-30%2Bat%2B3.41.20%2BPM.png" width="320" /></a><span class="s1">Another aspect of social media which has become quite popular is the use of absolutes. People are spouting off about how all teachers should 100% do “this” or should never do “that”. I have been told I am a bad teacher if I lecture, use worksheets, assign homework or don’t use Minecraft. Now to be fair, I have shared what could be considered borderline absolutes specifically around the notion of homework. Yet, I fear that the use of absolutes when it comes to just about anything in education is an easy way out. It is far easier to make a blanket statement than engage in critical thinking aimed at understanding the very nuance embedded in the work we do. Outside of avoiding cafeteria food nearing an extended holiday break as freezers are being cleaned out, absolutes should rarely be used.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">The final piece that I caution social media users on is the so-called experts telling you how to do your job. There are some incredibly outgoing and in some cases pushy individuals in these social media spaces. They are constantly telling teachers things they should do or should not do. They use passive aggressive tactics or are even out right demeaning of teachers in an effort to get them to do something. Yet a simple click on their biography will illustrate they are not in fact classroom teachers or school administrators themselves. That is not to say we can't learn and grow from those not in a classroom. That is not it at all. I greatly value the insights and opinions of those with a variety of perspectives both in and out of the classroom. However, always be skeptical of somebody telling you how to do your job when they are in fact not doing your job.</span></div><div class="p2"><br /><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">I will continue to encourage teachers to use Twitter and other social media sites. I stand behind the notion they are good for building connections while learning and growing in a community. However, I do so with a bit of hesitation and ask that all users, new and old, take it all in with a grain of salt.</span></div>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-86963310376729704272015-11-20T18:10:00.000-06:002015-11-20T18:10:03.092-06:00I'm Not Resigning<div class="p1"><span class="s1">There has been a lot of talk about the viral teacher resignations floating around online. I myself have recently engaged in conversations with fellow teachers who have said they are thinking about resigning or retiring as soon as possible. Even more are the individuals who say they would never recommend their children or their neighbor’s children to go into the teaching profession.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Many of these people make statements like, “It's not what it used to be”. “Kids have changed”. “Parents don't support our schools”. “There is no funding and Common Core is killing our kids”. The list of reasons to not go into teaching are pretty long and are often the same reasons people leave the classroom.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">The simple act of teaching is often being suffocated by meetings and administrator initiatives. What was once an art and craft has in some places become cold and calculated all the while being driven by data. There is less emotion and more calculation in the profession. In the short 13 years that I've been teaching, I have seen these things. As a result I am asked if I would recommend someone going into the teaching profession. I have thought long and hard about this because I do have reservations.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Teaching isn't what it used to be. Yet as I thought about it, I realized teaching shouldn't be what it used to be. Society has changed, regardless of if we think that is a good or a bad thing. Kids have changed. Families have changed. So it only seems natural that teaching should change as well. Teachers are being held to a higher standard and held more accountable for every child's education. I'm trying to see why that's a bad thing. Granted, I am not in agreement on how measuring this is being done, but the reality is improvement is a good thing.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">As I was reflecting on this notion of resigning or not going into teaching, I received an email. The email was from a student I had in my first two years of teaching. She was nearing graduation in a teacher prep program and had to interview a teacher who had inspired her to become a teacher herself. As I read her comments and reflections, I knew without a doubt that I would recommend anybody to enter our profession. People like to say teachers teach everybody. We teach the future doctors, the future mechanics, the future presidents and the future corporate giants. We teach them all.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Yet, we don’t teach with the intention of creating future greatness. We simply teach to inspire them to find whatever potential greatness may be hidden inside. If a student is able to find their passion and are inspired to find their life’s work, that is all we can hope for as teachers. Reading the letter from that former student about her aspirations to become an educator removed all doubt about the profession I have chosen. It forced me to reflect on why I chose the profession I did and also feel really good about the impact I had made on that one student. It is in those moments that I know I would recommend a career in education to everyone.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><br /><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Actually, I take that back. I don't recommend everyone go into teaching because not everyone can do what we do. Not everyone can inspire, motivate and empower children like we do. Not everyone can shape the course of a community like teachers do. Maybe we should be thanking all of those educators who are resigning and retiring or choosing a different career path.&nbsp; Just maybe, at the end of the day, people who aren't sure about their choice are probably not the ones we want working with our children anyway.&nbsp;</span></div>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-18838668024651915092015-10-14T17:32:00.001-05:002015-10-14T17:32:19.159-05:00Change Won't Happen<div class="p1"><span class="s1">Lots of people are talking about the need for change in education. Some people may go so far as to say we need a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-New-Teacher-Revolution-Generation/dp/1483376400" target="_blank">revolution</a>. ;) Many people think they know the answer about how education needs to change. The ideas and potential fixes range far and wide with each a self proclaimed game changer. Entire school systems are being created around these notions and many of these reforms or shifts are being held in high regard by many within education circles. Yet, nothing has really stuck and created the wholesale shift or change in thinking about how school happens in the US that many argue we need.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Rather then thinking about what changes need to be made to the system, I am wondering if systemic change is even possible. Can change happen in our schools? Is changing the system of American education at a system level likely to happen anytime soon? Could a strong argument be made that it never will? I am not a pessimist and do see the need for change in so many places in my role as a parent as well as a teacher. What I am suggesting is that change can not happen in any real way if it doesn't start in the classroom.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Stop and think about any of the positive changes that have happened in education in the last decade. Some of these changes vary in impact and scale, yet there is evidence of change. Teachers changing the way grades are used and what homework means for kids. Teachers pushing a maker mindset as well as including innovation and creativity in their classrooms. Or the teachers looking at their instructional practices and utilizing methods such as flipped classroom or project based learning. All of these changes happened within a classroom and were led by classroom teachers. It is when those elements and those ideas get taken out of the classroom and try to be scaled for large systems they often fall apart or lose their effectiveness.</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">A great example of this is the PLC model as it has played out in many schools. What started as an idea to have teachers collaborate around teaching and learning has turned into busy work and forced agendas. Where teachers were organically discussing best practices and instructional pedagogy, they are now forced to obsess over data and create inauthentic protocols to fulfill administrator expectations. Many other seemingly positive ideas coming out of classrooms are taken and brought “up to scale” and lose their authenticity and ultimately their impact on students.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">When decisions about what is best for kids are being made at the classroom level they more closely reflects what is truly best for kids. When decisions about what's best for kids are made at a system-level either in a district, state or federal level, those decisions are less about what's best for kids and more about what's best for the system. The decisions made at the high level are about efficiency and simplicity rather than individualization or student centered. This is not necessarily a criticism but rather an observation.&nbsp;With this in mind, can change be driven from the "top"?</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">As a classroom teacher can we wait for our district, state or the DoE in Washington to mandate change? It has been my experience that changes or even full a blown revolution of ideas do not take place in the state houses or the policy rooms in a country. Revolutions are began by the people. As a history teacher I often teach my students about the many revolutions which have taken place throughout history. They begin with the common people. The people on the streets and in the trenches. As teachers, we are those people in the streets of education and the trenches of the school system.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><br /><div class="p1"><span class="s1">The revolution of ideas and the movements of change are going to happen in a classroom not a courtroom, state room and likely not even in a school district meeting. As teachers we are responsible for being the advocates of change our students need. Without us, change and reform is just an agenda item for decision makers and a talking point in an election year.&nbsp;</span></div>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-75012540617863509442015-10-07T17:21:00.002-05:002015-10-07T17:21:55.014-05:00Best for Kids<div class="p1"><span class="s1">You don’t have to spend a great deal of time in a school to hear the phrase, “best for kids” mentioned in a meeting or inservice. This phrase permeates into much of what we do in schools and is often the justification behind a great many decisions. You don’t have to look far into mission statements, visions or school improvement goals to see some iteration of that phrase. Yet, do our actions support the use of this statement? Even when we want to can we ever truly do what is best for all kids?&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">First, are we doing the best for all kids when we implement a zero tolerance policy in schools? These policies leave many students out in the cold due to many variables. My own son was victim of this when he was disciplined by an administrator when in kindergarten he used the word “gun” to explain a contraption for catching a Leprechaun. Seriously. Students who are innocent are being punished for the past crimes of the guilty. Suspensions are being handed out&nbsp; to students bringing knives, matches, etc in to class for legitimate projects all because of zero tolerance. Is this the best we can do for all kids? Can we get rid of zero tolerance and instead engage with situations on a case by case basis and recognize the nuance and context of each individual situation?&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Another idea which is not a popular one to discuss is that of inclusion. On the surface, inclusion makes sense, and as an educator I support the idea of providing all students with the best educational experience as possible given their individual strengths or struggles. However, are we doing what is best for all kids when the needs of one student infringes upon the learning of the other students in the class? For example, when lessons can not be taught or students can not focus due to the actions or support required of one student, are we doing what is best for all kids? Or, when the student being included is essentially being left out of the learning but is in the room purely for the sake of inclusion, is that best for that child? Where do we draw the line?</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Is the entire notion of a classroom and general school based curricula best for all kids? Is it entirely possible some kids will not maximize their learning potential in a traditional classroom setting? Many students struggle in classrooms, not because of any academic or cognitive ability, but due to the confines of the classroom itself. Are we being arrogant as educators when we put forth a comprehensive curricula for all kids knowing full well vast amounts of it will have no value to the students when they leave our schools? Can we create flexible learning environments where students can come and go as they need? Additionally, can we create curriculum based on potential future need as well as current student interest? Can the students have a role in deciding what environment as well as what content works best for their learning needs?</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Sometimes we as educators get in our own way when it comes to what is truly best for kids. For example, how many times have we stepped back and neglected to support a child or provide the best possible resources because of a parental conflict? When parents disagree with what we as educators know what is best for kids, how can we still push forward and do what is best for the kid? When we know a school rule or outdated district policy is not what is in the best interest for each kid, how do we engage in dialogue with powers that be in order to help support our students? Sometimes doing what’s best for kids is simply being the advocate they need and too often don’t have.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Best for kids is an easy phrase to roll off the tongue. We as educators often use it to justify our work but often we fall desperately short of putting action behind those words. Sadly, best for kids is often a cop out to justify what is easiest for adults. Rather than a one size fits all attitude, can we really do what is best for kids? Instead can we focus less on what is convenient for the system or easy for the adults and instead shift to what is truly best for the individual student?</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><br /><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-47948318885189820542015-09-09T20:28:00.000-05:002015-09-09T20:28:27.842-05:00The Wrong Data<div class="p1"><span class="s1">I have been a teacher in a public school for my entire 13 year teaching career. Over that time I have seen many changes on the education pendulum swing back and forth. One trend, although likely more than a trend, I see creeping or rather blitzkrieging into every aspect of our school in recent years is the use of data. To say schools have become obsessed with data may be an understatement.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Now I'm not here to say I don't like data. In fact, it is quite the opposite. I believe data is a very valuable tool in schools just as in many aspects of life. As a self proclaimed runner, I am constantly pouring over data from my running. I collect distances, times, elevation and even weather conditions. I have two sons who swim and I often review the data of their times and how they are doing and progressing as swimmers. I realize this may indicate I need a new hobby. :) However, data is very much a part of my daily life and likely of many other people. &nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">In school it feels as though the most important data we collect is reading and math scores. Yes, I realize there are other data points gathered but these appear to be the headliners in the data driven show. Teachers are told they are good teachers or bad teachers largely based on this data. In some places teachers who don't even teach math or English are being told they have a stake in that reading and math data. Huge amounts of human and fiscal resources are invested in supporting reading and math intervention. Specialists are hired to work with our students who struggle in these two area. We even create additional classes for students to get additional help in reading and math. Often times these new classes come at the expense of an “special” or an enrichment class. When this happens students miss out on other learning opportunities they might excel at in an effort to receive additional support. All of these decisions are driven by the data being collected.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Again, I'm not opposed to data or even using data to inform decisions. Yet, I wonder if the data we’re collecting and the data that is driving our decisions is the right data. If you walk the halls of many schools across our great country you will see issues and concerns beyond low reading or math scores. You will see students who are unhappy, lonely or sad. You will see students that are hungry, that are not well rested and generally unhealthy. You will also see students who are overweight, unkept or emotionally unstable. When I see these students I wonder about a different kind of data driving our work as educators.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">How are we collecting data on happiness? Are we collecting data on physical and mental health? What sort of decisions are being driven by students’ joy and wellness in our schools? Are we creating intervention plans or pulling resources to support mental health as well as physical health? Is it at the same level as it is with math and reading? How can we obsess over a child's reading scores when they're hungry or struggling with obesity? Why are we worried about whether they will master math standards when they are clearly not well either physically or emotionally?&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><br /><div class="p1"><span class="s1">In reality, much if not most of the data we are collecting in schools will mean little when kids leave our buildings. Whether or not we got a student to a higher level of reading or a higher level of math computation will have less bearing on their life than if they leave us healthier both in mind and body. Why is it that English teachers are being forced to obsess over intervention plans and supports for struggling readers? Why aren’t the PE teachers and the health teachers or the counselor's creating comprehensive wellness plans, mental health plans, or happiness plans for children who struggle in these areas? Why are these plans not the focus of our conversations and data meetings? The data we use to drive our decisions ultimately reflects what we value and I wonder if our schools are beginning to value the wrong things or at least not valuing enough of the right things.</span></div>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-54378473467216668302015-08-10T07:45:00.000-05:002015-08-10T07:45:50.458-05:00A Curious Teacher - Part Three<div class="p1"><span class="s1">A Curious Teacher - Part Three</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">I am still unpacking many of the insights and lessons shared in Brian Grazer’s book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Curious-Mind-Secret-Bigger-Life/dp/147673075X" target="_blank">A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life</a>. One of my initial takeaways was around the idea of curiosity not being a sought after or <a href="http://www.stumpteacher.com/2015/07/a-curious-teacher-part-one.html" target="_blank">overly valued quality</a> in schools. The other insight gained was about how the notion of “<a href="http://www.stumpteacher.com/2015/07/a-curious-teacher-part-two.html" target="_blank">good enough</a>” can by problematic in life but certainly in our work as teachers. My third and potentially finally takeaway for now is around the notion of the Internet and its impact on curiosity. In his book Grazer states the following:</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="s1">“It was Karl Marx who called religion ‘the opium of the masses.’ He meant that religion was designed to provide enough answers that people stopped asking questions.&nbsp;</span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="s1">We need to be careful, individually, that the Internet doesn’t anesthetize us instead of inspire us.</span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="s1">There are two things you can’t find on the Internet - just like there were two things Robert Hooke couldn’t find in the Bible or in the decrees of King Charles I:</span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="s1">You can’t search for the answer to questions that haven’t been asked yet.&nbsp;</span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="s1">And you can’t Google a new idea.</span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="s1">The Internet can only tell us what we already know” (Grazer, 2015).</span></blockquote><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">I find this notion interesting and can’t help but relate to it on a personal level. I think we can all remember being in a argument where we tried to remember the name of an actor in a movie or who won a professional sports’ title. Or we have debated about how a particular historical event actually transpired. Those discussions and debates may not have been incredibly important in the grand scheme of things but the interaction was. Now, when a moment like this comes up, a smart phone comes out and the debate is settled with a few strokes of the finger. Is that to say we don’t value the information at our finger tips? No, but I wonder if we loose some of that discussion and curiosity that often fuels great conversations. For me, conversations are the great catalyst of learning and therefore something I treasure and value above nearly all else. &nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Another layer to this is Grazer’s notion of the Internet anesthetizing us as people. There is certainly a level of truth to this when you think about how the use of the Internet often plays out in schools. Often is purely a resource where students go to and then regurgitate information they find. They are not left to wonder and all of their questions are answers in the search bar in Google or Wolfram Alpha. This is where the role of the teacher comes in and how we use questions.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">I have heard many people say, “If a kid can google the answer to your test questions, then your questions are no good.” While I agree with the sentiment of this, I think it is a bit too polarizing and one of those sayings that look better on a poster than in real life. Kids do need content that Google can provide with a quick search. However, more importantly is that students can use that knowledge to ask more questions and think of ideas Google doesn’t have. In many cases the Internet has become the end point to a learning activity and not the starting point.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><br /><div class="p1"><span class="s1">How can we ensure the Internet, and technology in general is being used as a way to spark curiosity and lead to more questions and deeper ideas? Can we move past the Internet being the end point of learning and source of consumption and into a space where it pushes learners to deeper thinking and more questions?&nbsp;</span></div>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5398761775627125562.post-66079362172354334172015-07-30T09:09:00.001-05:002015-07-30T09:13:14.002-05:00A Curious Teacher - Part Two<div class="p1"><span class="s1">Previously, I wrote about my <a href="http://www.stumpteacher.com/2015/07/a-curious-teacher-part-one.html" target="_blank">initial reactions</a> to reading Brian Grazer’s book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Curious-Mind-Secret-Bigger-Life/dp/147673075X" target="_blank">A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life</a>. Beyond just the role curiosity played in Brian’s life and work he struck another chord with me when we discussed the phrase “good enough”. This if often a phrase we hear in our line of work as educators, as is likely the case in any occupation. However, Grazer’s approach to that phrase resonated with me:&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="s1">“When someone says to me, ‘That’s good enough,’ it never is. It means exactly the opposite. It means the person, or the script, <i>isn’t</i> good enough…</span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span class="s1">It’s such an odd expression, that means exactly the opposite of what the words themselves mean. It’s a way of saying, We’re going to settle here. Mediocrity will do just fine” (Grazer, 2015).</span></blockquote><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">He goes on to explain through his curiosity conversations with world leaders, business moguls and other incredibly successful people, many of them have a deep dissatisfaction with “good enough”. If you are going to be successful, being good enough cannot enter your mind or be in your vocabulary.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">How does this relate to the work we do as teachers? Sadly, I fear good enough permeates into the world of education far too much. Standards are good enough for now. These textbooks are good enough based on the choices we have. That lesson was good enough to get the content across for this year.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Beyond just the teachers and administrators, we see this with students and parents. Students do the bare minimum or what is simply good enough to get a passing grade. In addition, they settle for good enough in their own education and are content with what the school system has provided for them. Parents, too, are guilty of this. Far too few parents push back on schools doing just good enough for their kids. Instead they should be investigating and <a href="http://www.stumpteacher.com/2012/08/parent-blogger-obligation.html" target="_blank">advocating</a> for the best possible education for their kids. We can all do better.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">I have written before about my fear of <a href="http://www.stumpteacher.com/2012/03/teaching-mediocrity.html" target="_blank">mediocrity</a> becoming the norm in our schools and I still see traces of it for sure. There has to be a way we see past good enough and push to be better than that. Being content and settling are partners in crime to good enough and in turn mediocrity.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><div class="p1"><span class="s1">Teachers need to push back on being good enough and always look for better, different and more effective ways to do their work. We need to use our curiosity to question and wonder what else can be done and how we can look differently at our work. As teachers we also need to create learning opportunities that take away the option for students to turn in “good enough” level work. Students who are engaged in high interest and high value work rarely settle for mediocrity. As parents we need to be involved and aware of what is going on in our children’s schools and never be afraid to access our curiosity and ask questions.&nbsp;Questions lead to conversations and conversations are the path to learning.&nbsp;</span></div><div class="p2"><span class="s1"></span><br /></div><br /><div class="p1"><span class="s1">What are you going to do this year to get past good enough in your school?&nbsp;</span></div>Josh Stumpenhorsthttps://plus.google.com/115844522397872038801noreply@blogger.com0